Coming to Tuy Phong, remembering the squid season in March

It is no coincidence that squid in Tuy Phong sea area is more "special" than other sea areas. Because in November 2019, a group of experts from the Center for Seafood Forecasting under the Vietnam Institute of Marine Fisheries had research results on the phenomenon of upwelling in the sea area from Ninh Thuan to the northern part of Binh Thuan. The results showed that this is an area considered to have strong upwelling activity, in which the Binh Thuan area is the most stable. According to this center, upwelling is the activity of currents that bring many nutrients from deep layers to upper layers, creating conditions for plankton to develop, leading to the concentration of many types of seafood. The northern Binh Thuan area has many capes and reefs, so the rich aquatic ecosystem is a favorable environment to attract seafood to reside. Thus, it can be understood that many types of seafood here are of better quality than other sea areas, including, of course, fish and squid.

As the sun rose, the basket boats began to dock.

In the past few days, anyone who has had the opportunity to visit Binh Thanh, Phuoc The or Phan Ri Cua markets has been impressed by the freshness of seafood from the coastal areas. And squid is a wonderful gift that the ocean has for those who are passionate about this typical seafood. After the first lunar month, entering the beginning of the second lunar month, which is also the third solar month, fishermen here will enter the season of squid, cuttlefish, and cuttlefish. Fishermen who go to sea "enjoy" catching squid the most, because compared to other types of seafood, squid has the most stable price. Unlike other types of seafood such as shrimp, fish, etc., squid is often taken out of the sea by fishermen, put into boxes, foam trays, buckets, and basins containing water or ice to ensure that the squid is still fresh when it reaches shore.

Traders waiting to weigh the ink.

Around 8-9am, after a night at sea, the basket boats began to dock. On the shore, many traders were waiting. Each tray of squid, still transparent and sparkling, was carried ashore, quickly weighed by the traders, and loaded onto trucks to be transported for sale. Milk squid (rice squid) is purchased at the wharf for 80,000 - 100,000 VND/kg. Large squid costs from 200,000 - 300,000 VND/kg... mixed with a variety of fish and snails. A trader specializing in buying squid in Phan Ri Cua town said that during this season, she collects several dozen kilos of squid every day, sometimes with so much squid that she collects a ton of squid, distributing it to restaurants and eateries in the province and selling it to Ho Chi Minh City. This season, squid often appears more than in other months, so any fisherman who goes fishing earns an average of about 1 million VND/day. Tuy Phong sea squid is praised by customers as very delicious, thick rice, sweet and crispy meat, so there are customers in Vung Tau but still order Tuy Phong squid for many years. Not only fresh squid, dried squid, one-sun-dried squid here has been famous for a long time, anyone who eats it once will remember it forever.

Fresh batches of squid.

With fresh, curved squid that still flickers when touched, the coastal people do not need to prepare it elaborately, just a few slices of ginger, slices of chili quickly steamed on the stove, served with a bowl of fragrant chili fish sauce to feel the fresh sweetness of Tuy Phong squid. Or just a few eggplants, slices of pineapple, add a pot of water, when it boils, add the squid and season to taste to have a quality, quick bowl of soup for the coastal people's lunch. For mini squid, the coastal people here often make a typical "oil-boiled" dish, served with a bowl of sour, spicy tamarind and chili fish sauce, mixed with the fatty taste of squid eggs, there is no dish that goes better with rice.

For mini squid, the coastal people here often make a special dish called "boiled in oil".

Tuy Phong is in squid season, although the output is not as abundant as many years ago, the excellent quality is unmatched anywhere. Therefore, if you travel to Binh Thuan, visit Bay Mau rock beach, stop by Co Thach pagoda, don't forget to try the squid in Tuy Phong sea!

This is the time when fishermen take advantage of fishing, because not only squid, but other seafood species are also entering the breeding stage, preparing for the main fishing season of fishermen - the southern fish season.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/ve-tuy-phong-nho-mua-muc-thang-3-128879.html